24 - SURAH AN- NOOR (THE LIGHT)

NAME: In the ayah No.35. it is narrated that Allah is Light of the heavens and the earth, and this reference to Noor gives the Surah its name.

TIME OF REVELATION: It was revealed in Madina, and from the topics it can be presumed that it might have been revealed in 06 A.H. In Surah Ahzab, which was revealed after the Battle of Trench (Shawwal- 05 A.H.). Commands concerning purdah to be observed outside the house were given, and in this Surah commands concerning non-exposure of the exhibitory Parts inside the house before the ‘ghair-mahram. (nonrelatives), are narrated. This command was given gradually. which shows that this Surah was revealed when the command for observing purdah outside the house had already come, that is Surah Ahzab (Tribes) had already been revealed. In this Surah the limits (penal laws) which have been fixed, were such that could be enforced only when it was possible for the law makers to enforce them. In Madina Muslims had achieved this power after the Battle of Bani Quraizah, which had taken place immediately after the Battle of Trench, and after which the hypocrites friendly to Jews had become weak and were stooping to indulge in lowly exercises of concocting accusations against chaste ladies, etc.

CENTRAL THEME: Directions to observe safe guards for chastity, purity and modesty, declaration of severe penalties for propagators of shamelessness by their obscene acts and false accusations, and expression of this reality that by faith the whole of a man of faith becomes luminous (successful); chastity and purity are its rays. The area of this Surah is not limited to mere advice, but it also clarifies the responsibilities of the society in this connection, along with the duties of the Islamic state.

ORDER OF THE VERSES: In Verse No. 1importance of the Surah is mentioned that the commands that have been given in this Surah are compulsory and their obedience is a must.

In ayat Nos. 2 to 10 penalties for unlawful sex and for false accusation of unlawful sex are mentioned.

In ayat Nos.11to 26 the hypocrites are warned as they indulged in concocting false stories to implicate men of faith and chaste Momin ladies in invented affairs and spoiling their names, and these mischievous acts influenced the simple Muslims adversely.

Verses Nos. 27 to 34 lay down the safeguards that are necessary to preserve the good name and honour of the Muslims.

In Verses Nos. 35 to 40, this reality is made prominent that those who walk in the light of Allah following His direction their lives become luminous with the light of Allah, and those who turn away from this light of Allah, their lives are drowned in deep darknesses.

Ayat Nos. 41 to 54 present those arguments which help to develop pure faith and there is an invitation to the hypocrites that they should accept faith with Sincerity and should adopt the line of obedience to Allah and His messenger.

Ayat Nos. 55to 57 give glad tidings to the people of faith that Allah will bless them soon with the khilafat (power) in such a way that the present environment of fear and anxiety will be changed into an atmosphere of peace and satisfaction.

In ayat Nos. 58 to 61 are given the supplementary commands to the Commands given in ayat Nos. 27 to 34 concerning the etiquette to be observed inside the house.

Ayat Nos. 62to 64 are concluding ayat in which are given directions to give extraordinary importance to the call of the Messenger and to be fully attentive to it.

24- AN-NOOR ( THE LIGHT ) Verses (ayaat) 64

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

1.This is a Surah (Chapter) which We have revealed,¹ and have made it compulsory,² and in it We have revealed clear commands³ so that you may take heed.⁴

2.The adulteress and the adulterer give either of them hundred lashes ⁵(each). And let not pity for them withhold you from obedience to Allah,⁶ if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let their punishment be witnessed by a party of believers.⁷

3.The adulterer does not marry save an adulteress or an idolatress, and the adulteress does not marry save an adulterer or an idolater. All that is forbidden to believers.⁸

4.And those who accuse chaste women and then do not bring four witnesses-then give them eighty lashes,⁹ and never (afterward) accept their testimony.¹⁰ And they are confirmed evil-doers,¹¹

5. Except those who afterward repent and mend their ways. So Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.¹²

6.And those, who accuse their wives and have no witnesses except themselves, let the testimony of one of them be four testimonies (swearing) by Allah that he is of those who speak the truth;

7.And the fifth time, invoking the curse of Allah on him if he be of the liars.

8. And she will be spared the punishment if she bear witness before Allah four times that he (her husband) be of the liars.

1. It becomes clear that the Quranic verses which exist in their present form in specific chapters were arranged in their existing form and order by Allah himself. By referring to this collection of ayat as this Surah is to clarify the importance of its contents.

2. Since in this Surah severe penalties have been mentioned for commitment of unlawful sex and false accusation about the same and the enforcement of these penalties is unpleasant, and since strict commands have been given to prevent sexual irregularity and disorder, it was very clearly stated in the beginning that these commands have been made compulsory and have been enjoined to be obeyed. They must compulsorily be obeyed.

For the enforcement of the penal code it is absolutely necessary that the law givers must have the power to enforce it, and it is related to the social order and the state. From this the status and position of Islam becomes quite clear that it is a’ Dean’ in a wider sense, which provides laws concerning the social life and it also has own penal code, to not enforce it, when the power of enforcement is there, and to enforce in its place man-made laws, amounts not only to evading the obedience of a compulsory duty but also a clear insubordination of the divine command-rebellion against God. But alas! in the present day a majority of Muslim governments is very shamelessly enforcing their own penal codes instead of the Islamic penal code, and in non-Muslims states, where Muslims are citizens. These Muslims hesitate to express the justifiability and superiority of the Islamic penal code, so that their secularism may not be subjected to criticism.

Moreover, it has also become clear that to obtain knowledge of the Quranic contents is also compulsory, because for obedience of the commands knowledge of commands is essential and from the point of view of learning and training the study of the Qur’an is necessary. The effects of the divine commands that are left on the heart and mind are best achieved by the study of the Qur’an, and not by any other book, however useful that book may be. COMMENTARY

3. Clear commands means their meaning and sense are quite clear. After this clarification of Qur’an, it will not be proper to give any meaning other than the clear meaning conveyed by any Quranic command. This ends all the discussion which comes up on taking any clear command of the Qur’an as vague.

4. It is a hint to the point that the penal commands which are being given are for teaching a lesson to the people, that is, for the specific purpose that no one should dare commit the same crime. It also reminds one that when Allah’s law prescribes penalty for the sinners in this world, then why will it not mete out to them severe punishment in the next world which is specially meant for reward and punishment for the deeds and misdeeds done in the world?

5. In connection with this ayah certain points need clarification :

(1) Unlawful sex is a serious sin and a punishable crime. Indulging in unlawful sex by man and woman with their own free will does not absolve them of sin nor are they free from committing a crime. In this sinning man and woman both are equal partners, and are liable to receive equitable punishment. However if man has forcibly committed a rape against the woman, then the woman is without blame and she cannot be said to be an adulteress, and in such a case only man will be liable to be punished.

(2) In the text the word ‘Jaldah’ has been used, which means to strike with such a thing whose effect will be only on the skin and would not exceed it. This purpose can be achieved by a whip or a cane, provided the lash or the strike is not given with such a force that the skin is split and the body bleeds. At the time of striking the ordinary clothes that may be on the body should be allowed to remain, and the face and the delicate parts should not be hit. Man will be made to stand and the woman to sit while striking.

(3) For general crimes, two witnesses are sufficient, but for the crime of unlawful sex Qur’an has prescribed four witnesses. This hard condition has been prescribed in order that the good name and honour of some one may not be spoilt easily.

(4) The wording of the ayah shows that the command is of a general nature, that is the adulterer and the adulteress may be married or bachelor, both of them be given hundred lashes each, but from a large number of traditions it is learnt that the Prophet in a number of cases, commanded that the married man and the married woman be stoned to death, which the Prophet’s companions obeyed. These traditions can be found is Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmizi, Abu Dawood, and Muatta, etc. This command was also acted upon in the time of the Righteous Khalifas, and the scholars and the jurists of the Ummah are agreed upon this. Besides, in a hadith, which is authentic from the viewpoint of its sources, this principle has emerged :-

“The killing of any Muslim, who gives witness that there is no god except Allah, and that I am Allah’s messenger, is not lawful, except when any of the three eventualities occur: he has killed somebody, or has indulged in unlawful sex, though married, or has abandoned the religion and left the community.” (i.e. has become apostate). (Bukhari)

Therefore, for a married man and woman the punishment of being stoned to death on committing unlawful sex is an undeniable fact. However the question arises that Qur’an prescribes the general penalty of lashes for the adulterer and adulteress, while the hadith lays down the punishment of stoning to death for the married adulterer and the married adulteress; so how can the two be reconciled? Its answer is rather in detail:

In the pre-Islamic period (Jahiliyah) unlawful sex was common, and if it was indulged into with willingness, then there was no question of any penalty, as is the case in the present ‘civilized jahiliyah’, In order to introduce extreme punishment for this horrible crime it was necessary to do it gradually, as was done in the case of alcoholic drink: first the drinkers were asked to hate it and subsequently it was declared totally unlawful, haram. And then for drunkards penalty was prescribed, and even this punishment was also introduced gradually, i.e. first there was the command to hit with the hand and later on giving lashes was prescribed. Details of this punishment is found in the hadith. In view of this intelligent prescription of the Shariah, in Madina in the first stage adulteresses, whether married or unmarried, were commanded to be confined to their houses and a broad penalty was prescribed for the adulterer and the adulteress, whether married or unmarried. This command was given in Surah An Nisa, ayat Nos.15 and 16. There after, in the second stage, this ayah of Surah An- Noor was reveled, according to which every adulterer or adulteress, whether married or unmarried, was to be given one hundred lashes. By this command the women who were confined within the four walls of their houses were allowed to move out, which was promised in Surah An-Nisa, in these words :

“confine them to the houses until death completes their time, or Allah opens for them some other way,” (Nisa - 15)

The way here refers to their being freed from the prison of their houses and the command for giving them lashes was the way for their release. The command to stone to death was not given at that time, nor was stoning to death termed as the way or the ‘sabeel’ At this stage the command to lash was given as a general rule, which was quite apt, because till then the command to stone to death a married person was not at all given.

Subsequently, that is one year after the revelation of Surah Noor, probably in 07 A.H., which is the third stage of the command for penalty for the unlawful sex, extreme penalty prescribed. Accordingly in all the cases of unlawful sex that came up before the Prophet, he prescribed the penalty of stoning to death for the married adulterer and the married adulteress. This was adhered to So strictly that in the case of an adulterer and an adulteress of Jewish origin, he gave the judgment of stoning them to death, and in this connection referred to the command in the Torah in support of his judgment:

“If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman; so you Shall purge the evil from Israel.

“If there is a betrothed virgin, and a man meets her in the city and lies with her then you shall bring them both out the gate of that city, and shall stone them to death with stones.” (Deut 22:22.23)

(for these cases see Bukhari, Muslim. Tirmizi. Abu Dawood and other books of hadith- Kitab Al-Hudood-limits).

In this way in the last stage of gradual enforcement the Prophet’s tradition, which was fixed in the light of the divine revelation, the penalty of stoning to death was fixed for the married adulterer and adulteress. By this the penalty of striking lashes came to be fixed in the ayah under reference of Surah Noor in the case of unmarried man and woman, committing the crime of unlawful sex, and in this case now there is no general applicability for this command, which is apparent from its wording. Many examples can be given of the specification of the Quranic commands by the traditions or the authentic ahadith of the Prophet for example in the Surah Jumu’ah the command is to run to the remembrance of Allah as soon as you hear the Azan is ordinarily meant for men and women, but the sunnah has exempted women from observing this command and made it specific for men. Qur’an has commanded to obey the instructions given in the will executed by a Muslim and there is no limitation, but Sunnah has fixed its limitation to one-third part. Therefore if the Sunnah has made the penalty of lashes specific for the bachelor adulterer and adulteress and prescribed a harsher punishment for the married adulterer and adulteress, then what is unusual about it ? Commitment of this crime by a married person makes it more reprehensible, and therefore, the punishment for it should be more harsh for it, comparatively, Therefore, the limit of penalty that has been fixed by the Sunnah is based on justice.

Although the penalty of stoning to death has not been described in the Qur’an, however the ayah No. 19 of the Surah Noor itself states :

“Those” who like to propagate lewdness among the believers, for them there is painful punishment in the world and also in the Hereafter.” This ayah demands that those who commit unlawful sex should be given harsh punishment. By prescribing the penalty of stoning to death for those married persons who are found guilty of unlawful sex the Sunnah has met the objective of this ayah. Therefore, it would not be correct that there is no source of prescribing the penalty of stoning to death in the Qur’an. However, this argument in support of the penalty of stoning to death (rajm) by a narrative ascribed to Umar (R) is not correct that he had said that there was an ayah in the Qur’an in support of ‘rajm’, but subsequently its recitation was cancelled, but the command remained. It is a senseless thing which has crept into the narratives and ascribing it to Umar (R) is not right. Qur’an is absolute truth, there is no room for doubt in its authenticity. Its authenticity is not proved by the narrative of a narrator but by open and unbroken continuity of memorisation, recitation and repetition among the entire Ummah, and the Almighty Allah has taken on Himself the responsibility of protecting its authenticity. Then if any narrative that would claim any addition in the Qur’an, then its claim would be totally false. Therefore, this narrative is not such as would merit any importance. Then the wording and the style of the ayah (ash-shaikhu wa ash-shaihah ...) are so ungainly that to insert it into the Qur’an is like joining a wall of dust to the grand Taj Mahal.

Then if it was a revealed ayah, then its being cancelled for the purpose of recitation but its command being allowed to be operative is a thing which can be understood only by traditional- worshipers. What a pity that people did not rest content with inventing merely ahadith but had the audacity of inventing the word of Allah, And the traditional worshipers try to prove such senseless and absurd narratives to be authentic.

(5) In the ayah the address is to the people of faith, therefore the Muslim society is responsible for enforcing this penalty, and the practicable way to enforcing it is that the Muslim governments which represent the Muslims should enforce and put into practice this law as well as other Shariah laws in their kingdoms.

6. It means that wherever Allah’s religion demands harshness, one should not be soft. Allama Razi writes :

“By stating “in the religion of Allah,” Muslims have been warned that when Allah has commanded that a task is compulsory, then being soft in contrast is not right.” - (Tafseer Kabeer, Vol. 23, page 148).

There can be various kinds of softness, e.g. one form is that the Shariah law is substituted by another soft law, which is kufr, denial of Islam. The second form is that in practice concession may be given in its enforcement, and the third form is that the striking should be so light that the very purpose of the penalty is defeated. All these forms of softness should be avoided.

The Shariah penal laws are harsh undoubtedly but they are necessary to prevent commitment of crimes and to give a lesson to the criminals. Accordingly the less number of crimes in the holy lands of Makkah and Madina to the amazing extent is only due to enforcement of these harsh laws, which is a blessing in disguise.

In the present day very light punishments are prescribed for the criminals. People show mercy for the tyrants, but they have no mercy for the oppressed who become victims of kidnapping, murder, and looting. They do not also see the harshness which the police uses in forcing the criminals to admit their guilty They subject the guilty persons to such inhuman tortures that barbaric periods of history come to mind. Sometimes the guilty person dies at the hands of the police, although his involvement in the crime is not proved.

7. That is :A number of Muslims should remain present at the time the punishment is being executed so that people may take a lesson, and nobody should dare commit such a crime in future.

8. In this ayah the general behaviour of the adulterers has been mentioned. An adulterer has no hesitation or disinclination to marry an adulteress or a polytheistic woman, nor an adulteress from marrying an adulterer or a polytheist, but for the people of faith seeking such relationship is haram or forbidden. For a woman of faith it is absolutely unlawful to marry an adulterer or a polytheist, nor is it lawful for a man of faith to marry an adulteress or a polytheistic woman. Such relationships are not proper for men or women of faith on account of their wicked acts and wicked beliefs, therefore they should be avoided at all costs.

So far as rape is concerned, an adulterer commits it even with a chaste woman, and such a woman cannot be called, an adulteress. Similarly, if a Muslim lady is married, in her ignorance to an adulterer, she also does not become an adulteress. Therefore, this interpretation of the ayah appears to be correct, else Allah knows best.

9. Here false accusation means false accusation about unlawful sex, and accusing falsely chaste women of unlawful sex is tarnishing their image and dishonouring them, which is a cause of their disrepute and most damaging. Therefore, shariah has fixed a very severe punishment for those who are unable to prove such an accusation convincingly, i.e. eighty lashes.

This penalty is not for false accusation of any kind, but specifically for false accusation of unlawful sex, which in the Fiqh terminology is called ‘Qazf’ To give punishment is the task of the Islamic court of law, before which the case has been presented, and when the accuser fails to produce four witnesses.

10.That is: the evidence of the false accuser is not acceptable for all times subsequently.

11. That is: They have uttered a very big lie and tried to tarnish the image and, honour of chaste women. Therefore, they have committed a very severe sin (fisq).

Incidentally a principle also emerges clearly that a Muslim can also become a fasiq, that is sinner if he commits a major sin. If he can be liable to be punished severely in this world, then why cannot he be considered liable to be punished severely in the next world! But today a very large number of Muslims is under the wrong impression that even while leading a life of luxury and sin because they are believers in the kalimah of monotheism, they will not have to face any punishment in the Hereafter.

12. That is: If such a person repents and thereafter mends his ways, then he will not remain fasiq, sinner, transgressor. Allah will forgive him his sins and will bestow mercy on him. Then in the Muslim society also he will not be termed as fasiq or sinner.

9.And the fifth time (she say) that the wrath of Allah be upon her if he is of those who speak the truth¹³.

10. And if it were not for Allah’s grace and mercy on you (you would Have been in real difficulty, so know that Allah is Gracious and Merciful), and that Allah is Acceptor of repentance and Wise¹⁴.

11. Verily those who have invented that slander are a gang¹⁵ among you. Do not regard it as a bad thing for you ; nay, it is good for you.¹⁶ Each one of them (will be paid) that which he has earned of the sin; and as for him who had the greater share therein, his punishment will be great.¹⁷

12. When you heard it, why did, the believers men and women, not think well of their own people, and say, ‘This is an obvious falsehood?’¹⁸

13.Why did they not produce four witnesses? So when they have not produced any witnesses, then they verily are liars in the sight of Allah.¹⁹

14. Had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy for you, you would have been greatly punished for the talk you indulged in.²⁰

15.When you carried that on your tongues and uttered with your mouths what you did not know, you thought it to be a trifle, and in the sight of Allah it was a great (sin).²¹

16. When you heard this, why did you not say: ‘It does not behove us to speak of this. Immaculate You are! This is monstrous slander?²²

17. Allah admonishes you never again to repeat the thereof, if you are true believers.

13. In these ayat the command concerning ‘Li’an’ has been related. Li’an means that the husband and the wife should give statements on oath that if they are telling a lie then Allah’s curse be on them. If the husband accuses his wife of unlawful sex, but he does not have four witnesses, except his personal evidence, while for proving unlawful sex four witnesses are necessary, then he should give a statement on oath before the Islamic court four times that he is telling the truth and at the fifth time he should swear by Allah that Allah’s curse be on him if he is telling a lie. After this, the wife will be given the opportunity to refute her husband’s charge if she claims that he is telling a lie. For this refutation she will have to give statement on oath four times and at the fifth time she will have to swear by Allah that Allah’s curse be on her if the husband is telling the truth. Thereafter the court will separate the two of them and neither will be punished. If after the statement on oath of the husband the wife does not deny the charge against her by a statement on oath, then she will be liable for punishment. This punishment will be the same which has been mentioned in the ayah No.2 above, i.e. one hundred lashes, because here the same punishment can be taken into account which is referred to in this context.

It is true that the penalty for the married woman for unlawful sex is stoning to death according to Sunnah, but it is only when four witnesses have given evidence for the same and the guilt is confirmed by these witnesses, or the accused woman has herself confessed that she is guilty. Here none of the two conditions exists. Therefore, for not denying the accusation of the husband by a statement on oath, there is no argument to give the extreme punishment to the wife. Therefore the wife can be given only the minimum punishment provided in the case, i.e.hundred lashes.

The Hanafi Fiqh prescribes the punishment of imprisonment for the wife, that is as long as the wife does not deny the charge of the husband by a statement of oath she will be kept in custody. But in the ayah No.8 (she will be spared the punishment), there is no indication to take the punishment to be imprisonment. In the nearby ayah (No.2) the penalty for unlawful sex has been mentioned, and in connection with unlawful sex it is stated that ‘she will be spared the punishment’, therefore, here the mind turns to this punishment only, that is to the punishment mentioned in the ayah No.2, that is the punishment of one hundred lashes.

When Li’an takes place, the nikah is dissolved. Accordingly in the hadith it is stated : The Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) executed Li’an between an Ansar man and his wife, and separated them (Bukhari-Kitabut-Talaq). The command for Li’an is found in the Torah also, but not with such a detail as is found in the Qur’an(See Numbers-5:11 to 31).

14. That is: This is Allah’s grace and blessing that He has provided you guidance in the complicated family problems and it is His mercy that He has arranged for you to come out of difficult situations. If it were not so, you would have been in great difficulties. He is the Acceptor of Repentance, and He has kept the gate of repentance open for the sinners; they can repent and mend themselves and can deserve to receive His grace. He is Wise therefore, these commands and laws of His are based on wisdom and exigencies. Only those people consider them unwise and unintelligent who do not believe in Allah’s being Wise.

It may be noted that the predicate of the subjective clause, ‘if it were not...’ is not stated in the Quranic text and is understood, which is in keeping with the Arabic tradition of figurative writing, but we have stated it in the brackets as is clear from the context.

15. This is an allusion to that storm of falsehood that the hypocrites had raised against a chaste and pious woman of faith. This gang was apparently among the Muslims, but this group of the people had not only not accepted Islam sincerely but were also always plotting to harm its interests in every possible way. They had embraced Islam because their tribe had done so or there were some other compelling reasons, but actually they had no interest or sympathy for Islam and Muslims. They nursed a rancour against them. Because of this ill will they were always busy inventing ways and means of hatching dangerous plots against Islam. After the Battle of Ahzab (05 A. H.), this group of hypocrites had started the nefarious activity of defaming the faithful Muslim ladies by floating rumours in order to tarnish good name of Islam. On this occasion they had invented a very heinous fictitious story against a chaste Muslim lady, and they tried to spread the slander in such a way that some careless Muslims also joined in spreading this rumours. Towards this new mischief these ayat make a hint, and such Muslims are very severely warned as were influenced by these rumours and had participated in discussing it and abetting the mischief.

Qur’an has not clarified who this Muslim lady was against whom this storm of slander was raised, therefore, it is not necessary to fix who this lady was. And since any discussion about it was prevented, as is clear from the following ayat, the companions of the Prophet did not quote the event of the slander campaign in their commentaries of these ayat. Therefore, it is unnecessary and improper to trace against which lady this slander was invented and what story was woven. The stories of immodesty, when narrated even in order to refute them -leave very bad effects behind them, therefore, it is better not to quote or narrate them, and the safer course is to be satisfied with the cursory information given by the Qur’an and to concentrate on the relevant commands given by it in this connection.

As for those narratives in which the story of the slander against Ummul Mumineen (Mother of the faithful) Ayesha (R), is narrated, it is not supported by Qur’an, as the Quranic statement is concerning general chaste and modest Muslim women, as is clear from the ayat Nos. 12 and 23. In them there is no hint at all of any holy wife of the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam ). If the event were concerning Ayesha (R). then the crime of the slanderers would have been more serious, because then they would have been guilty of slandering against the mother of the believers and by this heinous act they would have caused considerable pain to the Prophet himself, and would have become the medium of defamation of the family of the Prophet. But nothing of this sort, not even a hint, is found in these ayat. Again these narratives are questionable from the viewpoint of their sources, and from the standpoint of the text itself, many points concerning this story are unacceptable. Among these narrative the most famous and detailed narrative is that of Zohri, who was a well known Taba’ee. This narrative has been quoted in detail in Bukhari, Muslim and other books of Hadith, Moreover in the Seerat Ibn Hisham it has been quoted through Ibn Ishaq. It would take a lot of space if it is quoted here. Besides it will not be proper if a narrative, the quoting of which creates unpleasant feeling, should be given a place in a commentary of the holy Qur’an. Therefore, we will state briefly the reasons why this narrative is unworthy of acceptance:

(1) The first thing which is difficult to accept is that when the information of the slander reached the Prophet, his favourable inclination towards Ayesha (R) had ceased, although in those days she was ill. The Prophet used only to inquire of her health and go away. Ayesha (R) felt that there must be something amiss. When Um Mistah informed her that she has been made the victim of a slander, she was greatly shocked and she went on crying. It appears that the Prophet, after hearing this rumour, did not refute it immediately, and he suspected her without asking her and without trying to find out the facts, although it is far from his august personality that the Prophet should adopt such an altitude, concerning his own faithful and pious wife whose purity and chastity is above all kinds of doubts. Qur’an asks the people of faith that when you heard the story of slander, why you did not think good of each other and why you did not say that it was clearly a false accusation (Verse No.12). The direction of the Quranic wrath is towards those Muslims who did not instantly reject the slander against a chaste Muslim lady. If the narrative which is under discussion is accepted, then it becomes difficult to explain the attitude of the Prophet, and any narrative which puts the office of the prophethood in a bad light deserves to be rejected outright.

(2) The second thing which has been ascribed to the Prophet in this narrative is that when he saw Ayesha (R) crying he called Usamah (R) and Ali (R) and consulted them about leaving his wife. Usamah (R) replied : ‘O Prophet! We do not know anything except good about your family, and Ali (R) said that Allah had not made anything difficult for him to get, besides Ayesha (R) there are many women whom he could marry. He advised to call his female slave, who would give the correct assessment. He then called Burairah, who reported that she did not see anything in her behaviour which could raise any doubt. It is also unbelievable that in a matter which was concerning a private family affair he consulted a boy of young age like Usamah.

It is also very strange that he would consult a female slave but he would not consult his other wives except Zainab, and that he would consult Ali (R) but would not consult and totally ignore his great companions like Abu Bakr (R) and Umar (R). There is no reference to his drawing the attention of Abu Bakr (R) to consider what people were talking about his daughter. Then again the reply given by Ali (R) was also very casual. Instead of the words which were expected to come out of the mouth of a man of faith, that is he should have said: ‘Allah ! You are Immaculate, and this is a great slander; he said that besides Ayesha (R) he could get many other women. What kind of a reply this was, in a matter under investigation! We do not have such a wrong impression about Ali (R) that he would have given such a reply, but we think that it is the invention of the narrator himself, which creates an impression that Ali(R) did not pay due respects to Ayesha (R) from the very beginning. This creates a doubt in our minds about the Shi’a mentality of Zohri.

(3) In the said narrative it is reported that after consulting Ali (R), the Prophet ascended the ‘mimber’ and addressing the Muslims said: “Who would defend me against that person who has given me pain concerning my home people, and by Allah! I have only seen good in my home people, and I have seen good in the person, who is being slandered.” Upon this Sa’ad bin Muaz said that if the slanderer was from the Tribe of Aus, he would behead him, and if he was from the Tribe of Khazraj, then they would follow whatever order the Prophet would give. Hearing this, Sa’ad bin ubadah got up and said that he was telling a lie, he could never kill him. Sa’ad bin Muaz said that they would surely kill him, and that he was a hypocrite and was speaking on their behalf. It was very likely that the tribes of Aus and Khazraj would have fought among themselves, but the Prophet pacified them.

It is unbelievable that in the presence of the Prophet the two tribes of Ansar would have quarreled in this way. Sa’ad bin Muaz and Sa’ad bin Ibadah were very respectable companions of the Prophet, and one cannot imagine of such a behaviour by them that they would have hurled offensive remarks against each other. This narrative tarnishes their character. And it is also very strange that if this event had taken place, then how could Abu Bakr (R), Umar (R) Usman (R) and Ali (R) remain silent, and why did they not rise in defence of the Prophet? These questions make this narrative exceedingly doubtful.

(4) In the narrative it is further stated that the Prophet went to Ayesha (R) and told her that he had heard such reports about her and that if she was innocent, Allah would manifest her innocence, and if a sin has been committed by her, then she should ask for Allah’s pardon and repent; when a slave admits his sin and begs for pardon, repenting for his sin, Allah accepts his repentance. Ayesha (R) states that hearing this, her tears dried up. Thereafter came the revelation to the Prophet, who informed her “O Ayesha ! Allah has sent down a revelation expressing your innocence.” From this narrative an impression is created that the Prophet had become suspicious of Ayesha (R), which, in the light of the instructions in the ayah No.12 that people of faith should always think well of each other, is untenable. Then again the Prophet’s saying to Ayesha (R) that if the sin has been committed by her, she should repent means that after committing such a great sin, merely repenting by her would have sufficed, and it is ignored that in such a case the Islamic penal law would have become applicable to her, and the Prophet would not have continued to keep her as his wife, for such a thing would have tarnished the fair name of the Prophet. It is thus elicited that it was a mere fictitious story.

(5) Before the revelation of Surah Noor, Surah Ahzab had been revealed, in which the wives of the Prophet were declared to be the mothers of the people of faith, and persons who caused any suffering to the Prophet were declared to be liable for punishment. After this what Muslim who would have been sincere in his belief, would have dared to slander the holy mothers of the faithful?

(6) The really responsible person for this mischief was the chief of the hypocrites, Abdullah bin Ubai, but in this narrative there is no mention of the punishment of Qazf having been levied on after the manifestation of Ayesha (R)’s innocence by the divine revelation. However in other narratives a reference is found which shows that the punishment of Qazf was levied on Mistah (R),a companion of the Prophet, who participated in the Battle of Badr, on Hassan bin Thabit, a panegyric writer in praise of the Prophet and on Hamnah bint Hajash. It is very strange that the one who had raised all this storm goes scot free, while those who were influenced by that mischief are subjected to punishment, while the Quran says that the person who takes leading part in this slandering campaign is liable to receive very severe punishment.

Mistah was a companion who fought in the Battle or Badr, and therefore, he could not be irresponsible as to have falsely implicated the mother of the faithful. Hassan (R) used to silence the opponents of the Prophet by his beautiful poetic compositions and was an expert competitor in his field. Can a person of such a stature be imagined to have taken part in slandering Ayesha (R)? Even if it is presumed that some doubt was created in his mind, then he could have brought it to the notice of the Prophet. To defame a member of the Prophet’s family, without bringing it to the notice of the Prophet, is not the work of a Muslim. How can then such an opinion be formed in the case of a companion of the Prophet? According to the Seerat Ibn Hisham, the Prophet had rewarded Hassan (R), because Safwan had attacked him with his sword, being enraged. If Hassan (R) were guilty of Qazaf and therefore permanently debarred as a witness, then how could be Prophet have blessed him with rewards? Hamnah (R) was the sister of Zainab (R), had according to this narrative zainab (R) had expressed a favourable opinion concerning Ayesha (R) when asked by the Prophet, therefore there is no reason to believe that Hamnah (R) might have disregarded all these facts and would have participated in falsely implicating Ayesha(R).The fact is that this narrative tarnishes the image of many companions of the Prophet.

(7) From the viewpoint of sources too the narrative ‘concerning slander is exceedingly dubious. This lengthy narrative is reported to have been quoted by’ Shihab Zohri and he is considered among the reliable narrators, but as Hafiz Zahabi has written in his book of Asmaur Rijal: Almeezanual I’tidal : he used to commit (tadlees) errors in rare narratives. (Meezanul I’tidal, Vol.4, page 40).

The words tadlees used by Zahabi to describe his practice means that the narrative should not be shown to emanate from its real source but to ascribe it to some other narrator, so that the reality remain concealed, and the narrative may become acceptable to the people.

And Ibn Hijr writes:

“His hearing it from Urvah is not proved.”- (Tahzeebut Tahzeeb; Vol.-9, page 450). About Zohri there arises a feeling that he is a narrator of such narratives that bring Ayesha (R) and the righteous Caliphs (Khulafa-i-Rashideen) in questionable situations, which creates doubt about Zohri being of Shi’a mentality. However, since he, was attached to the court of Khalifa Abdul Malik, he might have adopted a middle course.

In short, Zohri’s narrative is not at all satisfactory from any aspect and it cannot be considered a proper Commentary or a correct interpretation of this ayah in which the event of ‘Ifk’ (slander) had been treated. As for the other narratives in which the slander against Ayesha (R)has been cursorily mentioned, there is also scope for subjecting them to criticism. (For a research of this problem, see Hakim Niyaz Ahmed’s book, (Urdu) “Riwayat-e- Ifk”, published by Mashkoor Academy, 89/F/2, Khalid bin Walid Rd., Karachi 29).

16. It is good, because the hypocrites who had mingled with the Muslim society will now be exposed, and they will appear in their true colours. In this way the simple Muslims who were fooled by their scheming will get a lesson and the cautious Muslims will feel elated, and they will deserve to be rewarded for their cautious and righteous attitude.

17.That is: The person who played a major role in spreading this shameful falsehood will deserve to receive extremely severe punishment from Allah.

18. Although what is said here is concerning a particular event, but a general principle can be derived from it that when a modest Muslim lady is falsely implicated in a charge of unlawful sex, Muslim men and women, should not nurse any doubts in their hearts and that they should not only think well of her but should also refute that charge and for such a refutation it is enough to say that it is an open slander. In this ayah, the matter concerning a Muslim lady, for a slander against a lady results in serious repercussions, but from the manner of writing it is clear that to implicate a modest Muslim gentleman also in a false charge of unlawful sex is a very big sin.

19. Qur’an has fixed four witnesses to prove the charge of unlawful sex. If a person does not produce four witnesses after accusing a person of unlawful sex, then in Allah’s law he is a liar. If it is presumed that a person has actually seen the sex act being committed and he cannot bring four witnesses in his support, then he should keep quiet and should not spread the rumour, because due to insufficient proof the accused cannot be punished, and by spreading the rumour about it obscenities will circulate in society. It is also necessary that the witnesses be honest (Adil), for at another place Qur’an has clarified :

“And produce two honest witnesses from amongst yourselves.” -(Talaq-2)

Penalty cannot be levied on the evidence given by people of questionable character. As for the question, whether the witness of women in such situations would be acceptable, the generality of the jurists do not consider the witness of women acceptable in case of Qasas (retribution in killings) and physical punishment. But Qur’an has not clarified it. Nor is it mentioned in any authentic hadith. The commands of Qur’an are equally applicable to men and women, except that an argument makes a command specifically applicable to men only. In Surah Baqarah in the case of loan the witness of one man and two women is declared to be acceptable. Therefore, there is no reason that in observable matters like unlawful sex and murder the witness of women should be unacceptable. Accordingly in a case of unlawful sex, Ata’ and Hammad had accepted the witness of one man and two women. And according to Ibn Hazam it is lawful to accept the evidence of two Muslim women in place of one Muslim man (At- Tashree’ul janai, Vol. 2. page 411). In cases of forced unlawful sex (rape) the evidence of women comes up as a necessity.

20. A few unintelligent Muslims had also taken part in the mischief created by the hypocrites. Here they are reproached for this very foolish act of theirs, as very dangerous consequences could accrue from such acts. It was a great favour from Allah that He warned you on time and saved you from great punishment. ‘Therefore’ you should be thankful to Allah and should be extra careful for future. Although in this ayah the aspect of warning is in relation to slander concerning unlawful sex, but it also contains this general aspect of warning that if Muslims fall a prey to the mischiefs of hypocrites, they will have to face very adverse consequences. And history is a witness that when Muslims became victims of the ‘Sabai’ mischief, they fought among themselves and were finally deprived of the righteous caliphate.

21. Some topics are such as are treated as ordinary and people speak of them freely and often quote them. But these topics are morally irresponsible, causative of great sin from the standpoint of shariah and very dangerous according to their results. Therefore, they should not believe in rumours or mere hearsay reports against anybody and should always avoid talking in an irresponsible manner.

22. From here we get the guiding principle that man should not put his faith in mere hearsay, but he should use his common sense and intelligence. In a hadith it is said :

“It is sufficient for a man to be counted a liar that he relates everything he hears.” (Muslim)

Similarly a guidance is derived concerning the narratives that those narratives or stories that are an open slander against Allah, His messenger and his sincere companions, should be rejected instantly, without worrying about from what sources the narratives emanate and who are their narrators, for what is prima facie wrong will be wrong any way. Its open example is the narrative about the praises of idols, which is imputed to the Prophet, and which have been refuted in Note No.91. Surah Hajj

18. And Allah expounds to you His revelations (plainly). Allah is All-Knowing, Wise.

19. Verily those who love to spread obscenity among the believers, for them is painful punishment ²³ in the world and the Hereafter, Allah knows, you know not.²⁴

20. Had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy to you (you would have suffered terribly), and that Allah is Clement, Merciful.

21. O you who believe! Do not follow the footsteps of Satan. To whoever follows the footsteps of Satan, verily he bids indecency and evil. Had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy to you, none of you would have ever grown pure.²⁵ But Allah purifies whom He will. And Allah is All-Hearing, All- Knowing.²⁶

22.Let not the honourable and rich among you swear not to give to the near of kin, the poor, and those who have migrated for the cause of Allah. Let them forgive and show indulgence. Do you not wish Allah to forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.²⁷

23. Verily those who accuse chaste, believing women who are unaware,²⁸ are cursed in the world and the Hereafter. And for them will be great punishment.

24. On the day when their tongues and their hands and their feet will testify against them as to what they used to do.

25.On that day Allah will pay them their just due, and they will know that Allah, He is the Manifest Truth.²⁹

26.Unclean women are for unclean men, and unclean men for unclean women. Clean women are for clean men, and clean men for clean women; ³⁰ such are innocent of what the people say.³¹ For them is pardon and a bountiful provision.

23. Propagation of immodesty is a comprehensive term, which includes unlawful sex, slander concerning unlawful sex, discussing immodest topics, and talks leading persons to unlawful sex and indulge in similar antics and activities. In modern times new and modern forms have been invented for propagating lewdness all round, e.g. night clubs, exhibitions of mixed swimming, films inciting romance, immoral and titillating songs, advertisements showing near naked women, beauty competitions, exhibition of immodest postures of women on T. V., exciting novels, and stories, nude and semi nude pictures of women in newspapers and magazines, and programmes of dances, etc.

Since immodesty mars human dignity, destroys man’s honour and ruins his morals. Persons responsible for propagating immodesty in the Muslim society are warned that for them there is painful punishment not only in the Hereafter but in this world too. And this is a hint at the point that the Islamic state should propose very severe punishment for offenders of this nature. To propose suitable punishment looking to the nature of the crime and to enforce it is necessary in order to meet the demand of this ayah.

24. That is: You do not know how far reaching and serious are the effects of spreading immodesty.

25. That is: People of piety should not be proud of their righteousness under the influence of Satan, but they should know and think that whatever purity of self they have is on account of the grace of Allah and His mercy, and because of His guidance. Moral purity is Allah’s favour and a thing which makes one worthy of His mercy.

26. Purity of self and the task of adorning moral and character depend on the guidance from Allah only. Whomsoever He wills, He makes into pure gold. But this distribution of favours cannot be wrong, for He is fully aware of the conditions of His slaves. He knows who wants purity and how much sincere he is in this seeking. On this occasion that prayer should also be kept in view which the Prophet, Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, had taught

“O Allah! Grant to my self ‘taqwa’ (your fear), and purify it. You are the best purifier. You are its friend, and helper.” -(Mishkat- Kitabud Da’wat-with ref. to Muslim).

27. A few Muslims had fallen prey to the propaganda of the hypocrites on account of their lack of understanding, which they had started against some modest Muslim ladies. ‘They had especially picked on those Muslim ladies who had come to Madina after migrating from Makkah, and attempts were made to defame them. When Allah revealed stern warnings in this connection, some Muslims who used to help some of these foolish but poor Muslims swore that they would stop helping them from then onwards. In this ayah they are directed that they should not stop helping them and that they should forgive them. If they seek forgiveness from Allah for themselves, then they should also forgive the faults of other men. This direction is not specific to any particular person but is applicable to general kinsmen, the poor and the Muhajireen, that is, those who had committed the error should not be deprived of their help fiscally. This ayah has also elicited this point of Shariah that if a man swears not to do an act of virtue, he should break his oath and continue to do good work.

28. By unaware (ghafilat) are meant those women who could not even dream or imagine of committing any obscene act, or that they could be made victims of slander. They have neither interest in immodest talks and things, nor does their behaviour manifest any immodesty.

29.That is: In the world many things remain hidden, but in the Hereafter everything comes out in the open. The falsehoods that were spoken in the world will be exposed in the Hereafter, and the false charges that were levelled against the innocent people will also be disclosed to be false. On that day people will realise that Allah is the Truth, therefore, He deals justly and to meet the demands of justice he lifts those veils behind which realities are hidden.

30. Here ‘khabeeth’ (unclean) means immodest, of easy virtue. It means that for immodest women immodest men are suitable and for immodest men immodest women are suitable. Similarly for ‘Tayyib’ (clean pure) women clean or modest men are suitable and vice versa.

Such a suitability demands that pure and modest women should be given in wedlock to modest and pure men, and that modest or clean men should marry only clean or modest women.

31. That is: The mischief of slander that has been committed against modest and pure men and women is obviously false. The slander of immodesty against modest men and women does not tarnish their fair image; they are fully innocent of these false accusations.

The statement about the innocence of these people is of a general nature, and does not pertain to any single individual specifically. It is stated as a principle and does not apply to any particular incident.

27.O you who believe! Do not enter the dwellings other than your own until you have asked the owner’s permission and saluted their inmates.³² That is better for you so that you may take heed.³³

28. And if you find no one therein, do not enter until you are given permission. And if you are asked to go back. Then go back.³⁴ This way is purer for you.³⁵ And Allah knows whatever you do.

29. There is no sin for you to enter uninhabited houses in which is some provision for you.³⁶ Allah knows whatever you disclose and whatever you hide.³⁷

30.Tell the believing men to lower their sights ³⁸ and to guard their private parts.³⁹ This is purer for them. Verily, Allah is aware of what they do.

31. And tell the believing women (also) to lower their sight ⁴⁰ and to guard their private parts,⁴¹ and not to display their adornment except what is apparent,⁴² and to draw their scarves over their bosoms,⁴³ and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands or their fathers, or husbands’ fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or brother’s sons or sister’s sons, or their women or their slaves, or male attendants who lack natural vigour, or children who have no knowledge of sex . ⁴⁴ And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment ; ⁴⁵ And repent and turn to Allah together,⁴⁶ O believer! so that you may succeed.⁴⁷

32.And arrange marriage of such of you (men and women), as are single and those of your male and female slaves who are righteous.⁴⁸ If they are poor, Allah will enrich them from His bounty.⁴⁹ Allah is Bounteous, Knowing.⁵⁰

32. Now those directives are being given which are necessary to harmonies and civilise the domestic life and to put a stop to many acts of mischief. The first directive in this connection says that no one should enter the house of any other person without the owner’s permission. In the text the world ‘tastanisoo’ is used, which means to seek permission with regard, and here it signifies that one should introduce oneself to the owner and enter the house with the consent or the owner of the house. It means that only that person should enter the house whose entering the house is approved of by the owner and whom he had permitted to enter.

When permission is received, then while entering the house he should say salaam to the inmates of the house, as this is the etiquette while entering a house, and it is also an expression of the fact that he is entering the house with the prayer of peace and safety for the inmates, and therefore, only peace can be expected from him.

However, nowadays the customary method of seeking permission to enter the house should be adopted. In the modern times the customary way of entering the house is to knock at the door or to ring the bell that is provided for the purpose. If after this the owner of the house comes out, then first salaam should be offered to him, and when he would permit him to enter the house, then he should enter and while entering should salute or say salaam to those present.

33.That is: from the moral and religious aspect this is a very civilized or cultured way, and this instruction for good manners is being given to you so that you may take heed. In other words under the influence of this instruction in all domestic affairs and problems you should act with heed and sensibility. It also brings out a guiding principle that every one has a right of privacy and we should take due care of the same.

34. That is: In residential dwellings one should never enter without permission: even when there is nobody in the house or when the owner of the house does not permit you to enter for whatever reason. In such a case man should return quietly, and he should not indulge in any argument as to why permission was not given. It is very likely that there was a compelling and justifiable reason for that.

35.That is: from the moral point of view this is a clean and pure way.

36. Refers to those houses which are for general benefit. Therefore, entering such houses is covered general permission, for example hostels for travellers, shelters from the sun purposely built on the roadways, shops, hotels, offices of public bodies and utility concerns, etc.

37. Allah is fully aware of your intention with which you enter any house. Therefore, fear Him and set right your intentions.

38.’Ghaddi basar’ (lowering the sight) means that the things which are unlawful for a man to see should be avoided to be seen. If accidentally it comes into sight, the gaze should be turned away. Here, as is clear from the context. One should avoid seeing women other than one’s own wife or mahram (closely related) women. Since glances motive lust, and lust provokes immodesty. Qur’an has commanded that glances be kept under restriction. Lowered gaze is the symbol of modesty and the means of purity of the self and morals. Islam wants to see men of faith to be so sensitive in matters of modesty and shame that they should not even cast accidental glances at women. Peeping ogling and staring are immoral acts and means of evil. In the holy Qur’an, at one place it is stated.

“He knows the dishonesty of the eye.” -(Al- Mumin-19).It is a warning for those who peep and throw glances at women. This command of lowering the sight pertains to all places, inside and outside the house. When a Muslim should enter another person’s house, he should keep his gaze lowered and should not try to steal a glance, and should avoid seeing strange women. Although this is a difficult task, but the path to paradise passes through difficult passages. But it is not so difficult that it may be outside a man’s control, for Qur’an has commanded the gaze to be lowered and not for closing the eyes. As in Surah Luqman, ayah No.19, the command of ‘Ghaddi Saut’ means to lower the voice and not to stop it altogether, similarly here it means to lower the gaze and not to close the eyes. Therefore, without necessity to look at the beauties of a woman’s body is unlaw-ful and looking at her with lust is the unlawful sex of the eyes. The Prophet Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, has stated:

“The unlawful sex of the eye is sight.” - (Bukhari-Kitabul Isteizan).

In the Bible also it has been termed as the unlawful sex of the eyes.

If accidentally our gaze falls on a woman, it should be turned away. In the hadith it is stated that Jarir bin Abdullah asked the Prophet about accidentally seeing a woman:

He said to turn away the sight (eyes).” -(Muslim -Kitabul Adab).

39.In guarding the private parts are included keeping them (covered and also to avoid unlawful sex acts.

That part of the body which man feels ashamed to uncover before others it called ‘satr’ (in Arabic ‘aurah). Man’s satr or private part, according to the general run of jurists is from the navel to the knees, but the Quranic intention is not limited by the juristic measurements, but it awakens the human nature and stirs the moral sensitivity and says:

“And the raiment of righteousness is the best (raiment).” -(A’raf -26).

It is obvious that whoever would don the rainment of righteousness would put on a dress that would cover most of his parts. Qur’an has called the nudity as the mischief of Satan :” O children of Adam! Let not satan seduce you, as he seduced your parents out of Paradise, had stripped them of their garments to reveal them their private parts.” (A’raf-27)

40. The command for lowering the sight as given to men is also given to women. When any man may enter the house after taking permission, the women of the house should not stare at him, and whenever they go out of the house, they should keep their sight lower. They should avoid looking at strange men without necessity.

If the purpose of this command is understood and it is followed with sincerity, then the needs of men seeing women and women seeing men in connection with their daily life, are not disallowed to be met by Islam, because the purpose is not to create hindrances, for example to look at men for identification or for evidence or to look at the general gathering of men, etc.

41.Guarding of private parts is inclusive of covering the private parts of the body.

42.By adornment (zeenat) is meant clothing, as well as articles or aids for beautification. In the Qur’an clothing has been termed as adornment (zeenat):

“Dress well for attendance at every mosque.” -(A’raf-3l)

“We have sent down to you raiment that may cover your private parts and may (also be an adornment.” -(A’raf-26). And in the Lisanul Arab,

“zeenat (adornment) is described as a thing through which something is adorned.”

(Lisanul Arab, Vol. 13, page 202)

Examples of adornment are kohl, henna (menhdi), ring, etc.

The ayah commands that women should not display their adornments except what is apparent. This exception means that the adornment or the part which remain uncovered during working or moving about should be allowed to remain uncovered, for its purpose is not to display it for others but it is to keep them open for necessity. Although this exception is related to the display of adornment, but naturally it includes those parts which are the spots of adornment that is hands and face, because the adornment to be displayed are henna and rings, whose place or spot is hand and kohl and mascara whose place of application is the eye, which are the part of the face. Therefore, if the hands and the face are displayed with their adornments; women are permitted to do so. This permission has brought a balance in the commands for purdah and the hindrance which could have occurred in the daily work for women has been removed. From the ahadith it is proved that in the time of the Prophet, Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, women used to observe purdah of the face, and also did not observe purdah of the face. As an example a hadith from Sahih Muslim is quoted below.

“Abdullah bin Abbas Says that Fadhl (bin Abbas) was riding behind the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam).A woman of the Bani Khash’am tribe came and Fadhl started looking at her and she also began looking at him. The Prophet turned Fadhl’s face to the other side. The woman said: ‘O messenger of Allah! Allah has made Hajj compulsory for His slaves, and it is compulsory for my father too, but he is very old and he cannot ride. Then can I perform it on his behalf ?’ The Prophet replied : ‘Yes.’ This event occurred at the time of the Last Hajj.” (Muslim Kitabul Manasik).

It is thus learnt that the face of the woman was open and the sight fell on it. There is another hadith of the Sahih Muslim only:

“Jabir bin Abdullah says that he was a participant in the salat with the Prophet on the occasion of Eed. He led the salat before khutba, without Azan and Aqamat. Then he stood up leaning on Bilal (R) and directed to adopt Allah’s taqwa (fear) and exhorted for His obedience. He advised people and explained to them. He said to women to give in charity as many of them would become the fuel of the Hell. On hearing this a woman, from amongst the women, who had dark deflated cheeks, stood up, and asked: ‘O messenger of Allah! Why will such thing happen?” He replied: “Because you complain too much, and you are ungrateful toward your companion.” The narrator says that on hearing this women began giving in charity their jewelry. They began dropping their earrings and rings in the cloth of Bilal (R)”. - (Muslim Kitab Salatul Eedain). It is obvious that the face of the woman who questioned was open. For this reason the narrator could see her cheeks deflated.

From the hadith it is proved that the face and the palms of the hands are not included among the private parts. Accordingly in the state of ‘Ihram , during the Hajj women are forbidden from covering their faces behind the veil and wearing gloves. A hadith in Bukhari states:

“A woman should not put on veil on her face in the state of Ihram nor should she wear gloves.” -(Bukhari, Kitabul Manasik). And comand has been given in the Hadith about prayer :-

“The salat of an adolescent woman is not acceptable without her using the head-covering cloth.” -(Tirmizi-Abwabus salat). And with the head-covering cloth (odhni) head, ears, neck and bosom are covered, the face is not covered. It is a proof of the fact that for a woman it is not necessary to cover the face. Accordingly the jurists have explained it. In ‘Mughni’ it is stated:

“In this school of Fiqh (Hanbli) there is no disagreement about this : that the woman has to keep her face uncovered during salat, and that except the face and the palms, it is not lawful to keep uncovered any other part of the body—— And on this point also scholars are agreed that a free woman should cover her head during salat.” -(Mughni, Vol.1 page601).

The ‘Hidayah’ states : “The whole body of a free woman is to be covered, except her face and her palms.” - (Hidayah, Vol.1, page 39).

Ibn Rushd writes: “Many ulema are agreed on this point that a woman’s whole body should be covered, except her face and palms.” -(Bidayatul Mujtahid, Vol. I page 111 ).

As for the feet, from Um Salma’s hadith it is learnt that if the clothing is so long that it may cover the apparent part of the feet, then it is sufficient.

From these arguments it has become clear that a woman’s face and palms are not among private parts which need to be covered, but it does not mean that it is lawful for the ‘ghair mahram ‘ to look at them without necessity. The command for keeping the gaze lower does not provide any reason for permissibility to look at women without necessity, nor does it mean that women should necessarily keep their face uncovered all the time. The holy wives of the Prophet used to observe the purdah of face, and it is better that women should, as far as possible, cover their faces under a veil. We have described the permission given by the Qur’an in this respect in greater detail so that people may not be under the wrong impression that Islam prescribes such restrictions of purdah on women that in the modern times they are not practicable. Under this wrong impression women generally give up the purdah. Therefore, it is necessary that this aspect of the permission should also be presented so that the minimum requirements of purdah which Islam has prescribed may be observed by women.

The fact is that in the present day the growing rate of traffic accidents has compelled women to keep their faces open. The journey by bus, rail, etc., for hours, and days together creates suffocation for a woman wearing veil. Therefore, there is no other alternative but to lift the veil. On the occasions of shopping and trading the uncovering of the palms of women is a well known fact. Therefore, to be unduly strict in the matter of enforcing the command for purdah in such a way that the permission given by the Shariah are also undermined is neither right nor profitable.

Allama Maqdisi writes in Mughni :

“Necessity demands that a woman should open her face while buying or selling a thing and should uncover her palms while giving or taking a thing.”

-(Mughni, Vol.1, page 601).

Allama Nasiruddin Albani has written a book of research on the problem of purdah ‘Hijabul Miratil Muslimah’, which has been published by Alkutubul Islami, Beirut. In this book he writes :

“The hadith of Ayesha, which is in Abu Dawood, is a clear proof of this point that for a woman it is lawful to keep open her face and palms. If in the sources of this hadith that point were not there which we have stated in our note (it is a hint at the hadith being ‘mursal’. In this hadith this saying is ascribed to the Prophet, who on seeing Asma (R) in clothes through which slight glimpses of her body could be seen, had said that after a woman becomes adult, it is not lawful to display any part of her body except the face and the palms) except that this narrative is valuable for having been narrated by different ways, therefore, in such a case it can become an argument for the lawfulness of the said thing, especially for this reason also that during the life time of the Prophet women followed this practice. Accordingly they used to keep uncovered, in the presence of the Prophet, their faces and palms, and the Prophet never used to stop them doing so. And this is proved from various ahadith.”

-(Hijabul Miratil Muslimah, p. 24).

Further on he writes:

“From whatever we have said this conclusion can be drawn that a woman’s covering her face with a burqa, etc, which is customary in the present day, is for modest women quite according to the Shariah and desirable, though it is not compulsory for her, but that the one who has done it has done well, and who has not done it, nothing wrong has been done.” (ibid-p.53).

Shaikh Ali Tantawi writes :

“To sum up a woman’s face is not her private part and many jurists (scholars or the four schools of Fiqh) agree to its not being private part (satr), but not to uncover the face is better and is more commendable.”

- (Fatawa Ali Tantawi-page 155).

Syed Qutub writes :

“As for the display of the adornment of the face and the hands, its uncovering is lawful, for uncovering face and hands is ‘mubah’ (lawful)”

-(Fi Zilalil Qur’an. Vol. 4. p. 2512).

Dr. Yusuf Qarzawi states:

“This concession has been granted in the case of the face and the palm, because to cover them is a source of hindrance for women, especially in cases where they are to go out for lawful necessities, e.g. for the widows for the needs of their children and for the poor women to go out to assist their husbands. In such cases covering their faces behind a veil and covering their palms will create difficulties and inconveniences. -(Islam men Halal-o-Haram. p. 208).

And Maulana Shabbir Ahmed Usmani has to say: “From the hadith and other sources it is proved that the face and the palms are included in ‘what is apparent’ because many necessities of the world and the religion compel women to keep them uncovered. If an absolute command is given to cover them, it would create severe difficulties and hardness for women in daily dealings. Further the jurists have considered the feet to be on the same lines as these parts, and when these parts are taken as exceptions, then their connected adornments, e.g. rings, henna, (mehndi) and mascara, etc. will also have to be counted among the exceptions;”

-(Tafseer Maulana Shabbir Ahmed Usmani. p. 458).

Some ulema have taken the words ‘Ma zahara minha’ (what is apparent) to mean that chadar or sheet which is worn over the clothes, the hiding of which is not possible, or they have taken it to mean displacement of the chadar by blowing of wind, but this is too far-fetched, and as Allama Jussas has written that it is a senseless thing, because if this were the purport, Qur’an would not have mentioned it so elaborately. - (Ahkamul Qur’an Vol.3, P. 389 - 390 ) .

43.’ Khimar’ or odhni (head-cover) is that cloth which covers the head, and by ‘juyub’ is meant that part of the clothing which is cut near the neck and the bosom. To place the veil or the head cover over the bosom means that a women should put on the head cover in such a way that it may cover her head and should cover ears, neck and bosom fully. Neither the adornment of the head, nor of the ears, nor of the neck, nor the elevation of the bosom be displayed.

This command for the head cover is applicable inside the house as well as outside. And for the outdoors there is an extra command for the use of ‘jilbab’ (chadar). But since chadar is likely to be accidentally uncovered, which would display the neck and the bosom, therefore, head cover (odhni) is also necessary. In the present day the use of Burqa is customary. If burqa can meet the object of the head cover, i.e. if there is no danger of the display of the neck and the bosom, then burqa is adequate. (God knows best).

If a ‘ghair mahram’ (strange person) enters the house with the permission of the owner of the house, the minimum permissible limits for purdah from him are that women should be in such clothes as cover the private parts and with the head cover should cover their heads, necks, ears and bosom, and except for the faces and the hands and their adornments, no part of the body or adornment be displayed. But if in the middle a curtain is hung, or if there is arrangement of a separate room for men, then that would be a more desirable form. For the holy wives of the Prophet there were special restrictions, one of which was that there should be curtain between them and the ‘ghair mahram’ (strange ) men. If anything is demanded, it should be done from behind the curtain. (Surah Ahzab, ayah No. 53). But for the general Muslim women some concession is given in the matter of purdah at home. The great advantage of this concession is that ‘ghair mahram’ male relatives can also be treated with due deference. If on their coming a curtain is hung in the middle, it is better, but if that is inconvenient then the minimum limits of purdah mentioned above would suffice. But it does not mean that the ghair mahram ‘male even if he is a relative, is allowed to meet women in private, but that in the presence of their husbands or other ‘mahram’ relatives they can meet their ‘ghair mahram’ relatives with the minimum limitations of purdah mentioned above.

It may also be noted that the head cover should not be so thin that the body may be seen through it, for the head cover is for hiding the parts and not for putting it merely across the neck and not to display a style in fashion. Therefore, the head cover should be of such a cloth as would serve the desired purpose.

44. In this verse the permission for the woman to display adornment means a woman’s appearing with adornment and the persons before whom a woman can appear with adornment are detailed below:

(1) Husband,

(2) Father,. father-in-law, sons, sons of the husband, i.e. step sons, brother, nephews. All these are ‘mahram’ for the woman (that is for the woman, nikah with them is forbidden). Therefore, before them a woman can appear with adornment (Well-dressed and with ornaments) unhesitatingly. Besides them there are to her “Mahram” e.g. uncle, maternal and paternal, son-in-law, Razai brother (who shared the milk of the same foster mother),etc., who have not been mentioned here. By not mentioning it Qur’an might be hinting at the point that a woman may come before them but she should display her adornment to the permitted limit only.

(3) By their woman means those who are friends and acquaintances and female servants. Permission is given to women to appear with full adornment before such woman only. As for the other women, the Qur’an might be hinting at the point that before them a woman should appear with the minimum permitted adornment, which may not create any mischief.

(4) Among the slaves are included male and female slaves both. The male slave has been given the position of a member of the family by Islam, and by virtue of the service that he renders it is necessary that the women of the house should not be restricted to observe purdah from the slaves. Now the slave system has disappeared, so the problem of purdah from, the slaves now does not exist.

(5) By male attendants who lack natural vigour, means those servants who may lack sexual vigour on account of old age or mental deficiency. For youthful attendants this permission is not given.

(6) Those children who may not be conscious of the hidden parts of the woman or of sex. It means those children who may not know about the sexual charms of women and in whom the sexual urge may not have awakened.

45. That is : A woman should not walk stamping her feet in such a way that the sound of the ornaments worn by her in the feet may be heard by others. This is a hint at particular ornament of feet known as ‘pazeb’in such an ornament there should not be any ringing device (ghungroo), nor the style of walk should be such that by the movement of the ornament ringing sound may emanate.

The words of the ayah ‘what they hid of the adornment’ signifies that the trinket worn in the feet-pazeb-should be covered and not openly displayed. They should not be seen by strange men. The directive of not stamping the feet is meant to be followed within the house as well as without. When a ‘ghair mahram’ man may enter the house, the female inmates of the house should take care to see that they do not walk stamping their feet, and when they may go out they should also keep this point in mind.

From this it can be realised that a religion which teaches to be careful in the matter of making sounds of the jewelry worn and forbids women to stamp their feet while walking, how can it tolerate the hip-swinging style of walking of women and their singing and dancing in gatherings of males ?

46.’Taubah’ means to turn towards a thing, and also to repent for the sin committed. On this occasion all the people of faith are directed to turn towards Allah and to repent and give up the past sins. It means that they should strictly follow the directions that have been given strictly and pray for Allah’s forgiveness for the faults committed concerning moral purity, and mend their ways for future.

47. It has become clear that prosperity lies in observing the Quranic directives and not to neglect them to become modern and fashion-conscious.

48. The word used in the text. ‘Ayama’ does not only mean widows but it also means those men and women who are single, i.e. those men who have no wives and those woman who have no husbands. Arranging for their nikah means that their relatives should persuade them to marry and in this matter they should help them. It also becomes clear from this that Islam does not only consider re-marriage of widows lawful but also encourages it. It is therefore, not proper to think that remarrying of widows is objectionable. In connection with the male and female slaves Islam has also taken a step forward for their reform and a given directions that those of them who may be leading a pious life should be helped to marry. This responsibility devolved particularly on their masters.

This is a link in the chain of directives that are being given to root out unlawful sex.

49.That is: In the matter of nikah poverty should not be a hindrance, but putting trust in Allah this virtuous act should be executed. Whoever will obey Allah’s command, Allah will definitely bless him with His bounty. And it is our observation that after marriage many a man hold their income increased and quite a number of people lived happily. But the condition of the youths of the modern age is strange, who try to avoid the responsibilities of married life under the influence of the modern civilistion. Till the age of twenty-five they are busy getting education; thereafter they spend five years for getting a lucrative job or settling in a lucrative profession and they strive to establish a high standard of living and earn so much and save a lot of money to marry thereafter in a grand manner. Thus their youth passes off singly, and after they pass the half way mark of their life they seek their life partner. On the one hand modern civilisation has created an environment which is too exciting, hastening the process of adulthood, and on the other hand it creates a tendency in the young men to avoid shouldering the responsibilities of married life. This results in innumerable youths falling a prey to sexual straying, and secondly the grown up girls of the community remain unmarried throughout their marriageable age for non-availability of young suitors. This situation needs to be reformed and demands acting on the directions of the Qur’an.

50. Allah is Bounteous, of ample means, therefore, put your trust in Him: He will increase your provision and widen your resources: He is Knowing therefore, He fully knows who is leading a modest life and inspite of being poor has shown readiness to shoulder the responsibility of married life.

33.And let those who cannot afford to marry keep chaste till Allah enriches them of His bounty.⁵¹ As for your slaves who seek a deed (of freedom ), write it for them if you are aware of anything of good in them,⁵² and bestow upon them the wealth of Allah which He has bestowed upon you.⁵³ Force not your slave-girls to prostitution when they want to preserve their chastity, in order that you may seek the enjoyment of the world.⁵⁴ If any one compels them, then surely after such compulsion, Allah will be Forgiving, Merciful.⁵⁵"

34. And We have sent down for you revelations that are clear, and the example of those who passed away before you.⁵⁶ And an exhortation for those who fear Allah.

35. Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.⁵⁷ The example of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp.⁵⁸ The lamp is in a glass, the glass is as it were a shining star. It is lit from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow forth though no fire touched it. Light upon Light;⁵⁹ Allah guides to His Light whom He will.⁶⁰ And Allah speaks to mankind in examples. And Allah has knowledge of all things.⁶¹

36. (This lamp is burning) in houses which Allah has ordained to be exalted and His name to be remembered therein.⁶² In them morning and evening His praise is sung.

37. Men whom neither trade nor sale can divert from remembering Allah, establishing salat and giving zakat;⁶³ they dread the day when heart and eyes will be overturned;⁶⁴

38. That Allah may reward them for the best of what they did, and increase reward for them of His bounty.⁶⁵ And Allah gives without measure whom He will.⁶⁶

51. Those who are unable to marry due to compulsions, e.g. non-availability of a suitable match or scarcity of accommodation and are therefore compelled to delay their marriage, such persons should not give up their chastity and modest way of living, and Allah may remove their difficulties should they get married.

52.It refers to that written deed between a slave and his master according to which the slave is enjoined to work elsewhere and pay to his master a fixed amount in instalments, and after a fixed time and amount the slave is freed.

As for ‘if you are aware of anything of good in them’, it means that if their freedom would not result in any corrupt practice in society but would only result in good, then a written deed be executed with such slaves. This precaution was particularly necessary because in those days most of the slaves were war prisoners.

The methods Islam adopted to free slaves, among them this written deed with the slaves was an important means of achieving it.

53. This is an inducement for helping the slaves so that they may, as provided in the deed, get freedom. Those whom Allah has given wealth should spend it in freeing necks of the slaves from slavery.

54. The sentence ‘if they want to preserve their chastity’ expresses the situation then obtaining, that is, it was a very tyrannical act that the female slaves were being compelled to act as prostitutes against their own will. In those days, their masters used to force the female slaves to work as whores so that whatever they earned by that shameful profession they would enrich the coffers of their masters. Here the direction is to stop this forbidden practice.

55. That is: If the female slaves are compelled to be whores then Allah, looking to their helplessness, will forgive them and will show mercy to them. From this a principle has become clear that if a modest and chaste woman is forced to do an unlawful sexual act or is raped, whether she is a female slave or a free woman, she can neither be called an adulteress nor can she be liable for punishment. For her there is a promise of forgiveness and mercy from Allah, provided she has tried fully to resist the wrong act.

As for those who force women to unlawful sex. Qur’an declares them to be liable for punishment not only in the next world but in this world also, as is clear from the ayah No. 19 of this Surah. Besides according to ayah No.33. Surah Maidah, the penalties which have been prescribed for those who spread corruption in society under that divine command the state has the authority to subject those, who kidnap women, rape them and compel them to be whores, and who establish brothels, to very severe punishment, amounting even to death, in order to give them a lesson.

56. Refers to those corrupt nations’ fate who did not pay heed to the commands of Allah and only cared for collecting evils under the influence of their carnal desires.

57. Light is a very delicate, beautiful and pure thing. It manifests itself and causes other things to manifest themselves in its glow. The meaning of Allah’s being the Light of the heavens and the earth is that in this universe He is fully manifest, shining. He is extremely delicate, possessor of utmost beauty, purest and most clean. His Being is manifest by Itself, otherwise Allah is neither light in the literal and material sense of the word, nor is it correct to imagine Him to be on the lines of the physical light, for ‘Laisa Kamithlihi shaiun’ (Shoora -11): “There is nothing like Him.” Therefore, without falling into the philosophical discussions and the whirlpool of interpretations, the simple and direct sense of Allah’s being the light of the heavens and the earth that comes to the mind should be considered sufficient. About Allah’s attributes our righteous forefathers had this attitude, and this is the path of safety.

58.The example which is given here is not meant to relate the nature of Allah’s attribute, light, because its nature is out of the reach of understanding by human mind, but its purpose is to guide mankind to that light which is manifest in the universe, and through which His recognition can be attained. The perfection of this light of recognition and its brilliant manifestations have been explained by means of an example.

59. That lamp which is placed in a niche gives more light, and if the lamp is within a glass, then its light will be more bright. And if the glass is clear and shining like a bright star, then the light of this lamp will be very brilliant. Then again if this lamp is being burnt by the olive oil, obtained from an olive tree, which was in the open, absorbing the sun’s rays directly in the morning and evening giving oil which burns very brightly then in such a case the light of such a lamp will be very very bright. It will be emitting light upon light. In this example, the purpose is to express the extreme brilliance of this light.

This brilliant light is the light of recognition of God, who is manifest in this universe, but to see it, spiritual insight is necessary.

In this example the olive tree has been termed as blessed because it is very useful and its oil is very beneficial. If this tree is situated on a hill or in a plane in such a way that on this eastern and western side there is no obstruction to the sunlight, then the sunlight will fall on it every morning and evening and the oil yielded by this tree will be so clear and bright as if it is about to be lit up.

The example of olive has been narrated here in connection with the recognition of the light of God, but seen from another aspect this example fits Islam also. Islam is a blessed religion, which is neither eastern nor western, but is universal. Similarly the example of the olive oil rings true in the case of a man of sound and honest nature, whose heart is about to touch the string of the harp of tawheed, and when the divine inspiration gives him the message of tawheed, he becomes fully harmonious with it. The guidance of the nature combined with the guidance of inspiration (Quran) acts as light upon light (Noorun a’la Noor).

60. It is learnt that the example of light which was given above is related to guidance, therefore, it refers to the light of recognition of God only, and it is the light of the recognition of God only which, inspite of being manifest with full brilliance, is seen only by those who see it with the eyes of spiritual insight. Allah guides such people only, and such people alone attain His recognition.

The place of the ayah of Noor in this surahnay in the whole Qur’an is such as if it is a ruby which is fixed in a magnificent palace. When by the light of recognition of God, the light of faith is created in the human heart, then the whole life of the man of faith becomes bright, whether it is domestic life or family life, whether external or social, the light of faith illuminates every nook and corner of human life.

6l.That is :The example given by Allah is based on knowledge, therefore, quite appropriate, and the point which has been explained with the help of this example is absolutely real.

62. Means mosque, and by exalting them is meant to build them and to pay them due respect. It also means raising the buildings of the mosques to good heights so that the concept of the greatness of the mosques is established. Building of mosques has been termed in the hadith as an act which merits the award of Paradise :

“Whoever built a mosque for Allah, Allah will build for him a house in the Paradise.” - (Mishkat-Kitabus salat with ref to Sahihain).

And paying due respect to the mosques comprises of keeping them clean and pure, to enter them in a clean state, not doing any business transactions therein, nor doing anything which may be against the etiquette prescribed for the mosques. Such a respect also includes not constructing any grave inside the mosque, nor of constructing a mosque over the grave of anybody, because it is absolutely contrary to the sanctity of the mosque. In the hadith it is stated :

“Allah’s curse on the Jews and Christians, they have made the graves of their prophets their mosques (worshipping places).”

-(Mishkat-Kitabus Salat, with ref. to Sahihain)

And the purpose of building mosques is that in them Allah’s name be remembered. That is: therein only Allah’s name may be mentioned, His praises sung, His name be invoked, etc., for mosques are reserved for Allah alone. However, some illiterate Muslims do not fail to invoke the name of their ‘Peer Dastagir’ in the mosques. Such polytheistic prayers of theirs very badly trample on the respect of the mosques.

63. In the foregoing ayat the etiquette for entering the house and for domestic life were narrated, and in this ayah the etiquette for Allah’s house is related. In other words, when the mention of the house was made, the narration was turned towards Allah’s house, and this is perceived to be the method of Quranic training that it turns the minds from lower to the higher, from the branch to the root. Accordingly when the narrative is about clothing, then the minds are turned towards the clothing of ‘taqwa’ (God-fearing) -(Surah A’raf-26).

In the foregoing ayah the narration was about Allah’s worshipping places, where His light sheds brilliance all around, and in this ayah the narration is about those who receive benefit from this light. Their basic attribute is that earning livelihood does not keep them away from remembering Allah. While attending to their business engagements and dealing with their selling and buying requirements, they remember Allah, they offer salat on time, and they do not fail to pay their due zakat.

Here the point which by itself becomes clear is that the person who remembers Allah even during his business engagements and dealings will naturally strive to earn lawful (Halal) livelihood..

However, today the condition of Muslims is most regrettable. Many are the people who do not offer salat on time on account of their business engagements. And there is still a larger number of people Who does not offer salat at all, as they do not find leisure time, as if offering prayer is a work to be done during leisure and business and trade have priority, over salat, This way of thinking is out and out materialistic. How can such stray and misguided people achieve the good fortune of establishing prayers!

64. That is: Owing to the devastating effects of the Doomsday neither the hearts will find peace nor the eyes will be calm.

The people of faith feel shaky from the fear of that awful day, and this fear makes them sober and serious. It creates in them a sense or responsibility. When a sense or responsibility is created in a slave, he adopts the altitude of obeying Allah.

65.That is: These slaves of Allah, who develop in themselves these attributes, will receive these fruits that whatever would be their best deeds they will be considered as the standard and will then be given their rewards. Besides Allah will further bless them with additional favours.

66. Allah gives so much that we cannot estimate His bounty. He is extremely gracious in giving, and the rewards with which He will bless these sincere slaves of His, they cannot imagine it in this world.

39. As for the unbelievers,⁶⁷ their deeds are as a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one supposes it to be water till he comes to it and finds it to be nothing, he finds Allah there, who pays him his due,⁶⁸ and Allah is swift at reckoning.⁶⁹

40. Or like darkness on a vast, bottomless sea, there covers him a wave, above which is a wave, above which is a cloud. Layer upon layer of darkness. If he stretches out his hand, he cannot see it.⁷⁰ And he whom Allah does not grant light, for him there is no light.⁷¹

41. Do you not see ⁷² that it is Allah whom all who are in the heavens and the earth praise, and also the birds with wings outspread ? Each one knows his prayer and his praise⁷³ And Allah is Aware of what they do.

42. And to Allah belongs the sovereignty⁷⁴ of the heavens and the earth, and to Him all things will return.

43. Do you not see that Allah drives the clouds, then gathers them, then piles them in layers? Then you seen rain coming out from between them;⁷⁵ He sends down hail from the heavens, from the mountains which are therein,⁷⁶ and smites ⁷⁷ with it whom He will and turn it away from whom He pleases. The flash of the lightning almost snatches away the sight⁷⁸.

44. Allah causes the night and the day succeed one another;⁷⁹ surely in this there is a lesson for the clear-sighted.

45. And Allah created every animal from water. ⁸⁰ Of them, one (kind) creeps on its belly,⁸¹ and one (kind) walks on two legs,⁸² and one (kind) walks upon four.⁸³ Allah creates what He will ⁸⁴. Verily Allah has power over all things.

67. In the Quranic terminology ‘kufr’ (denial) does not merely mean denying the existence of God, but believing in Him yet denying His attributes or to associate with Him someone else, or to deny to worship Him without associating somebody with Him, to refuse to believe in anyone of His messengers or His books, to not accept His guidance, to deny obeying Him and His commandments, and not to believe in the Hereafter is also ‘Kufr’ Therefore, one should not be under this wrong impression that only he who denies the existence of God is’ Kafir’ or infidel, but even that person is also an infidel who believes in God, but not in the manner in which Allah has commanded in Qur’an.

68. In the acts of infidels all those acts are included which they perform in the name of God and religion, e.g. polytheists’ charitable work, establishment of charitable institutions, or work of public welfare, etc., and the polytheists of Arab used to perform Hajj also. So far as the Jews and Christians are concerned, they worship God in their own way, and follow some commandments of the divine shariah. Similarly some Muslims who are hypocrites, also sometimes offer prayer (salat), and also participate in some other religious work. All these acts are acts of virtue, and despite this they are contaminated with the filth of kufr, and therefore, all these acts of theirs are without spiritual benefit, and they will not earn any reward from Allah, nor will they get any reward for these acts in the Hereafter, which they performed for their country and the nation. Of their acts being fruitless has been described here by the example of mirage. As a thirsty traveller sees mirage in the desert and thinks it to be a rivulet for quenching his thirst. But comes to grief when he reaches near it. Similarly these infidels who may be thinking that if after death there would arise the matter of reward and punishment, then their virtuous acts would get them reward from God are prey to wishful thinking. On the Day of judgment they will realise that the hope which they had been nursing is false and that the reality of their virtues is nothing more than the reality or a mirage. On the Day of Judgment they will find that Allah exists and He will settle their account quickly and with full justice.

69. Allah will not take any time in reckoning the accounts of good deeds and bad deeds of millions, billions and trillions of people on the Day of Judgment.

70. This is the second example of the ignorance of the unbelievers. They are under the layers and layers of darkness of ignorance and they are unable to see any glimmer of light. Anything darker than this cannot be imagined.

71. It has become clear that he who does not get light from Allah will not be able to get any light from anywhere. He is destined to wander in darkness.

72. Now those signs are being narrated by contemplating which Allah’s recognition (ma’rifat) is attained.

73. Do you not see’ here means’ Do you not reflect or contemplate.’ Mankind is being invited to ponder over this reality that whether the creature may be of the heaven or of the earth, every one of them sings praises of Allah and of His Immaculateness. Either the angels or any other animal in the world, every living being worships Him or offers salat in his own way and sings His praises. The birds which spread their wings in the space as if they are prostrating themselves before Allah in worship. The coo of the koyal, the song or the bulbul, the cock-a-doodle-doo of the cock and the twitter of the sparrows resound with the praises of the Almighty, provided man has the ears to hear the realistic notes. Early in the morning when the sparrows gather on trees and their chirping and twittering sounds as if they are singing praises of their Lord, and they are busy in offering prayers to Allah. For further explanation please see Surah Bani Israil. Note No.58, and Surah Hajj, Note No.32.

74. The fact that Allah is the king of the whole universe without any partner is an obvious reality, but polytheists associate others with Him in His power. And the amazing thing is that if those Muslims who have been brought up in the innovative environs, call Allah as king, they call the Prophet as His prime minister (Mukhtasar Tafseer-e-Naeemee, page 527). In the tafseer it is written that : “ As if the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) is the prime minister or the Divine Kingdom (Saltanat-i-Ilahiyah).”God save us from such commentaries

75. The arrangement of the rain laden clouds is a thing which is commonly observed. If a man is travelling in an aeroplane, he can observe this phenomenon clearly. He sees as if a sea of clouds is spread over the whole world. He also sees that the clouds come from here and there and join together then their process of gathering in layers upon layers continues till they cover several miles. And the amazing thing is that all this while the clouds are shedding rains over the earth and the plane passes over them. This observation invites one to ponder over all this, and if a man ponders he can easily realise that all this process goes on under a well set plan, and it is the doing of the same Being in whose control is this whole universe.

76. Here heaven means height. On the heights, on account of the extreme coldness the clouds are filled with snow, and their big masses look like mountains, from these mountain-like masses snowfall takes place.

77.Sometimes the snow fall takes the form of a storm, which causes a lot of damage. Some years ago this writer had the experience of seeing a hailstorm in Dubai. The hailstorm gave the impression as if bullets of snow were being fired from a machine gun and the hails looked as if they were turned out of machine. This writer took shelter in a shop and from there he could watch the distraction it wrought and prayed for safety. It was later learnt that it caused a lot of damage and a large number of people were hit by it.

78. That is: The flash of the lightning almost blinds the onlooker.

79. According to astronomy the revolution of night and day takes place on account of the rotation of the earth about its axis. But the question is: Who is He who causes the earth to revolve round its own axis in such a way that even after such a long interval of time there is no change in it’s speed nor has any irregularity occurred in the timings of the day and night.

80. for explanation, see Surah Anbiya, Note No. 35.

81. The animals that creep on their belly are snakes, and even fishes in water can be said to be creeping along their belly.

82. Among the animals with two feet, are men and birds.

83. Among the animals with four feet are animals that graze and also wild animals.

84. That is: In this variety of creativity it is only Allah’s will that operates.

46.Verily We have sent down revelations that clarify (truth). And Allah guides whom He will to the straight path.⁸⁵

47. And they say: “We believe in Allah and the messenger, and we obey;” then after that a faction of them turn away. They are no believers⁸⁶.

48. And when they are called to Allah and His messenger that he may judge between them, a faction of them is averse.⁸⁷

49.But had right been on their side, they would have come to him in all obedience.⁸⁸

50. Is there a sickness in their hearts, or are they in doubt? Or do they fear that Allah and His messenger may deny them justice? Nay, but really they are the wrong doers.⁸⁹

51. The saying of the people of faith when they are called to Allah and His messenger to judge between them is only that they say : “We hear and we obey.”⁹⁰ These are the people who will prosper.⁹¹

52. He who obeys Allah and His messenger, and fears Allah, and adopts piety: indeed such people are successful.

53.They swear by Allah solemnly that if you order them, they would certainly go forth.⁹² Say : “Do not swear, known obedience.⁹³ (is better).” Verily Allah is aware of what you do.

54. Say: “Obey Allah and obey the messenger.⁹⁴ But if you turn away (then remember) that his responsibility is only that which has been placed on him, and your responsibility is that which has been placed on you. If you obey him you will be rightly guided. And the messenger has no other responsibility than to convey (the message) clearly.”

85. These ayat explain monotheism clearly, but only those persons will get guidance from it who will deserve it by accepting guidance from Allah, according to His will. And Allah’s will takes wise decisions.

86. This is the description of those people who claimed to believe in Allah and His messenger but were averse to obeying their commands. Such an attitude was totally contrary to the demands of faith. Therefore, about them it was said: They are no believers. In other words these people are hypocrites.

It is thus elicited that faith and refusal to obey are two contradictory things. A man in whose heart there is faith cannot but express it in his actions. Commitment of a sin by a faithful is a momentary lapse, but to refuse to obey the commands of Allah and His messenger from the very outset is quite a different thing, and does not conform to a state of having faith. The first thing is sinning, while the second thing is kufr, unbelief.

Today there is a very large number of Muslims who express their devotion to Islam, but are free of following the directions of Qur’an and sunnah. Due to ignorance they are a prey to their wishful thinking. If they read these ayat carefully in which the conditions of the hypocrites have been narrated and ponder over them, they will understand the reality of faith and they will be fortunate enough to receive the guidance of Allah and His messenger.

87. To refuse to take their disputes to the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) or to refuse to present their mutual disputes before the laws of Qur’an and Sunnah are acts of hypocrisy, which has been explained in Surah An-Nisa. Note No.129 and No.134.

88.That is: When they estimate beforehand that in a particular case the judgment will go in their favour, they come before the Prophet very obediently for judgment. Same is the condition of the present day hypocrites. They select for following only those commands of the Shariah which serve their purpose. This is selfishness and not following of the Shariah.

89. This hypocritical attitude of theirs is either due to there being a disease of hypocrisy in their heart, that is why their external behaviour is different from their internal belief, or they are in doubt as to whether these commands are really from Allah ? Or else they do not expect any justice in their case from Allah, and so they are afraid that their interests would suffer. Whatever reason may be applicable to their case, it is contrary to the demands of faith. And the fact is that they have become wrong-doers in their own interest and against themselves, that is their selfishness has made them wrong-doers and tyrants against themselves.

90.This is ‘the attitude or the sincere men of faith, but the attitude of the present day Muslims is such that they are neither prepared to listen to what Allah and His messenger say, nor to obey their commands. There are very few people who have adopted the right attitude in this connection.

It may be noted that those judgments given by the Prophet which are proved to be authentic according to the sahih ahadith, are binding on us in the related matters, and they also provide the guiding principles.

91. That is: For being prosperous of victorious or triumphant it is necessary that Muslims should obey Allah and His messenger in such a way that in their hearts there should be fear of Allah and there should also be a feeling of aversion to committing sins.

93. Generally those people swear whose character is unreliable. Here, the hypocrites are being told that instead of trying to create confidence in others by swearing falsely, they should adopt the known method of obedience which is the way of the true believers.

94.In these ayat great emphasis is laid on obeying the commands of the Prophet along with the commands of Allah, and it has been termed as the demand of faith, for obedience of Allah it is necessary to firmly hold His Book, and for the obedience of the Prophet it is necessary to firmly hold the traditions which he has left behind for the Ummah and which are proved to be authentic ahadith.

55. Allah has promised those of you who believe and perform good deeds to make them khalifa (rulers) in the land as He had made rulers those who were before them, and to strengthen the religion He chose for them, and change their fear to safety. They will worship Me alone, and will not associate anything with Me. And whoever will disbelieve after that, then they are the wicked.⁹⁵

56. Offer salat, pay zakat, and obey the messenger so that you may be shown mercy.

57. Do not think that those who disbelieve will be beyond (God’s) reach in this world. Hellfire will be their home, an evil destination!

58.O you who believe! Let your slaves and those (children who have not attained puberty ask your leave at three times (before they come into your presence) : before the Fajr (pre-dawn) prayer and when you lay aside your clothes for noon, and after the prayer of Isha (night). These three times are of privacy for you. At other times it is no sin either for you or for them if you go around (visiting) one another. Thus Allah makes clear to you His revelations.⁹⁶ Allah is Knowing, Wise,⁹⁷

59. And when your children reach the age of puberty, then let them ask your leave as those before them (who reached puberty) ask.⁹⁸ Thus Allah makes clear for you His commands. Allah is Knowing, Wise.

60. It is no sin for the old women, have no hope of marriage, if they lay aside their (outer) clothing⁹⁹ in such a way as not to show adornment. ¹⁰⁰ It is better they refrain from this. Allah Hears All and knows All.

95. This ayah carries glad tiding for the people of faith, and a warning for the hypocrite s. The hypocrites were waiting and watching the turn of events. They are warned that they should not be under the spell of any wishful thinking. The state of fear and oppression through which Muslims were passing was not going to last for long. Very soon the people of faith would be given position of power, and there is going to be complete domination of their faith, Islam on this land.

The word ‘Istikhlaf’ used here means to make caliph (Khalifa) and caliph means person of power and authority (ruler).

In Lisanul Arab, the meaning of khilafat is given as rulership. (Lisanul Arab, Vol. 9, page83).

And in the terminology of Qur’an, to make khalifa means to be given power and authority by Allah, and by this position it means that the person concerned is expected to use h is po we r a n d au t ho rit y a cc o rdin g t o Shariah. In other words a khalifa is not an absolute monarch. His position is that of a person who uses his authority as a trust given by Allah. In this sense a prophet also becomes a khalifa after assuming power. Accordingly in the Quran, Prophet Dawood has been called Khalifa (Surah Sad, ayah No.26).

This promise of Allah that He will very soon bless the people of faith who acted righteously with rulership came to be fulfilled very soon. The victory of Makkah (Ramadan 08A. H., 630 A.D.) become the forerunner of this domination, and during the life time of the Prophet itself Islam dominated the whole of Arabia. Then during the caliphate of the righteous khalifas the two great empires of the time clashed with the rising power of Muslims and were destroyed. These were the Persian and the Roman Empires, and the limits of the caliphate reached Iran, Iraq, Syria and Egypt. The lurking threats of attacks on Madina from the disbelievers of Makkah came to an end in this way that now no power in the world could dare attack Madina. Now the Islamic state and the religion attained such power that the state could find no obstacle for running the state administration according to the Islamic shariah and to enforce its rules. The whole of Arabia resounded with the shouts of Allah’s oneness, and the land of Arabia became totally free from the filth of polytheism. Therefore, the period of the righteous Khalifas (May Allah be pleased with them) conformed to this divine promise. But it is amazing that a sect of Muslims hurls curse at the three righteous caliphs. Abu Bakr (R). Umar (R) and Uthman (R), falsely alleging them to be usurpers. If the people belonging to this sect ponder over the problem of Khilafat in the light of this ayah, then the reality of the factionalism to which they have fallen a prey will be realized by them. By the words ‘had made rulers who were before them’ a hint is given at this tradition of Allah that whenever any nation who denied their prophets. Allah destroyed them, and the Prophet and his companions were blessed with power and authority. These examples are Prophet Nooh (Noah), Prophet Hood and Prophet Salih and their companions. Similarly Bani Israil were granted the holy land and through Prophet Dawood and Prophet Sulaiman their kingdom was widened and strengthened.

Those who disbelieve after that are indeed wicked means that the grant of khilafat to the people of faith, thus marking the fulfillment of Allah’s promise and His extraordinary favour those people who would see this and after seeing all this would not appreciate the great bounty of Allah and would try by creating mischief to change safety to unsafety are evil and wicked people. This was indirectly a hint the Sabai mischief which raised its head during the caliphate of Uthman (R), and which totally surrounded the caliphate of Ali (R).

“As for the question whether this promise of power was for the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam )and his companions only, or whether it is also available or applicable for the Muslims of the later periods, has been answered by Allama Taimiyah in this way”:

This promise is for all those who possess this attribute. When the predecessors developed these attributes in them, then Allah, according to his promise, granted them khilafat, and after them one group possessed the attribute of true faith and righteous acts. So those who were perfect in their faith and were virtuous in their acts, were granted the said khilafat in all perfection, and those who had defects in their faith and righteous deeds had defects and deficiency in their authority too. This is the compensation for this act. So those who will act in accordance with this (direction) will deserve this compensation.” -(Majmu’ah Fatawa Ibn Taimiyah. Vol. 18, page 302).

96. It is an explanatory ayah. In the ayah No.27, the direction was given about entering any house, after obtaining permission. In this connection it is being explained here that so far as your children and male and female slaves are concerned, they have to come to you very often, and therefore, it is not necessary for them to ask for your permission every time that they come to you. But there are three occasions when it is necessary for them also to obtain your permission before they come to you, and these occasions are of your privacy. First is the time after Isha (night) prayer, when man goes to bed, second is the time before the Fajr prayer, and the third time is that of the afternoon, the time of siesta, particularly in the warm climates. During these times man is with his wife or he has scanty clothing on his body, therefore it is necessary to instruct the young children also to seek permission before going to their elders. Thus it becomes clear that special attention should be paid to the right training of the children. Prevent children from being exposed to any immoral act, or may a sexual behaviour that may affect their morals.

Today the population explosion has created very difficult housing problems. People have to stay in very small and narrow rooms with their children. On the one hand there are these residential difficulties, and on the other hand there is the demand for privacy, which can never be ignored. In these circumstances, whatever precautionary measures can be taken must be taken, and the residential requirements should be given preference over other/requirements that is arrangements for living should be made is such a way that privacy should be maintained as well as the restrictions imposed by the shariah in relation to living conditions should also be observed. Those who possess a sense of morality and want to lead an Islamic way of life, it is absolutely necessary for them to solve their resi de nt i al prob l em s a n d th e re fore t he y should be ready to shoulder greater financial burden.

97. Hints at the fact that His commands are based on knowledge and wisdom.

98. That is: When these children attain puberty, they should seek permission to come into the presence of their elders at other times. This restriction for them is like the restriction which was for the grown up people before them.

99. In the ayah No. 31. the women were given the directive about the veils, that if any ‘ghair mahram’ (strange) male should enter the house, the women should draw their veils over their bosom, etc., In this ayah those old women who have no hope of getting married are allowed to put off their veil or chadar to which there is no objection, provided the objective is not to display adornment, and it is better if they do not put aside their veils or the outer chadar, it is more modest.

Many commentators have taken the clothing to mean chadar or the outer cover, that is according to them while going out if old women do not cover their bodies with the outer chadar, then there is nothing wrong, but the command concerning ‘chadar’ (jilbab) is given in Surah Ahzab. In this Surah commands are given concerning houses, in which the commands for ‘odhni’ (head cover or veil) is given, and the ayah under discussion is an explanatory ayah, therefore, it is more concerned with the directive about head-cover or odhni.

100. In this Surah three forms of adornment have been narrated. First is that adornment which necessarily manifests itself, for such an adornment there is nothing wrong if it is displayed before a ‘ghair mahram.’ Its command is given in the ayah No.31, in the words: ‘Mazahara minha’ (only what is apparent). The second form is that a woman can come with that adornment in the presence of her husband and also other relatives. This command has been given in the ayah No. 31.And the third form is that a woman may display her adornment before the ‘ghair mahram’ (strange) men, that is she should display that adornment in the presence of strangers which she is supposed to hide. Such a display of adornment is haram, forbidden, and in the terminology of Qur’an it is called ‘Tabarruj.’ In this ayah ‘tabarruj’ is prohibited.

61. There is nothing wrong for the blind, nor is there anything wrong for the lame, nor anything wrong for the sick, nor for yourselves if you eat from your houses , or the houses of your fathers, and grand father or the houses of your mothers, or the houses of your brothers, or the house of your sisters, or the houses of your fathers’ brothers, or the houses of your fathers’ sisters, or the houses of your mothers’ sisters, or from that (house) of which you hold the key, or from (the house) of a friend.¹⁰¹ It will be no sin for you whether you eat together or apart.¹⁰² However, when you enter houses, salute¹⁰³ one another with greeting from Allah, blessed and pure¹⁰⁴ (word). Thus Allah makes clear His revelations for you so that you may understand.¹⁰⁵

62. They only are the true believers who believe in Allah and His messenger,¹⁰⁶ and when they are with him for some common task, do not go away without asking for his leave.¹⁰⁷ Verily those who ask for your leave, they are the ones who believe in Allah and His messenger. So, if they ask your leave for some affairs of theirs, give to those of them leave whom you will, and ask for them forgiveness of Allah.¹⁰⁸ Verily Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

63. Do not make the call of the messenger among you as the call of one another.¹⁰⁹ Allah knows those of you who slip away stealthily.¹¹⁰ And let those who disobey his orders beware lest some mischief afflicts them or some painful punishment overtakes them .¹¹¹

64. Lo ! verily to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. He knows your condition, and the Day when they will be returned to Him; He will inform them what they did. Allah has knowledge of all things.

101. This ayah has been revealed to clarify the commands given in this surah regarding the etiquette of the family life. The objective is to remove the misunderstanding that in view of the stated restrictions there is no room for the helpless people to go and eat in the houses in which the charitable persons had arranged for their feeding, nor can the near relatives and the friends take food together in one another’s houses. In this ayah it is clarified that the helpless people can eat in houses where feeding arrangement has been made. Asking for permission to enter the houses and the restrictions for purdah do not mean that the sympathetic treatment of the helpless people be abandoned.

As for the near relatives, e.g. father, mother, brother, sister, uncle, father’s sister, mother’s brother, and mother’s sister, so if there is an arrangement for you to go and take your food in the house of anyone of these, there is nothing wrong in that. Similarly there is nothing wrong in eating in the houses which are in your control, e.g. someone has gone out on a journey and has left his house in your care, then there is nothing wrong for you to take food in his house from what he has left behind of the provisions. Moreover, you can go for eating to the houses of your friends and can eat freely. To eat in one another’s houses helps in making mutual relationships pleasant. Therefore, there is nothing wrong in going to the houses of one another, provided the commands given concerning the etiquette of family life is scrupulously followed. As for the point: ‘eating from your house’ it is originally your house where you can eat unchecked, but if for some reason you are required to eat in the houses of your near relatives or friends, then there is nothing wrong in that.

In the ayah there is no command concerning eating from the houses of sons, because so far as the eating is concerned the houses of sons are one’s own houses.

102. The point whether the food should be taken together or apart is to be decided on the basis of circumstances, necessity and exigencies. From the viewpoint of shariah there is no restriction in this connection, and both the methods have been termed permissible according to convenience.

103. Do not forget that whether it may be your house or the house of your relative, etc., while entering it you have to salute essentially. Whether they are man’s own kinsmen or other persons in the house being members of his own millat they deserve to be presented with the gift of prayer for their safety (salute).

104. That is: It is a word of prayer which has been taught to you by Allah, and which is very, auspicious and full of blessing.

105. These commands which have been given with sufficient clarity need to be followed with understanding. Obeying the command merely as a formality does not meet the purpose for which the command is given, nor does the hairsplitting in the fiqh meets the demands of the shariah. The right way of acting on the command is that man should try to fully understand the objective for which the command is given and in obeying it should prove himself to be an intelligent person, If problems crop up, then he should try to solve them by pondering over them seriously. Allah has not granted intelligence that it may be kept unused, but it has been granted so that it should be rightly used and in order to follow the commands of the shariah in a right way and the intelligence should be seriously and honestly applied.

106.Here belief means true belief or true faith, which should be held in full consciousness. It is not the faith of the hypocrites which they neither hold consciously nor is that sincere, but it is merely an expression of their cult.

107. Common task may also mean gatherings or meetings for consultation, or a meeting which might be called for giving directions for conducting jihad, etc. Such meetings in themselves are very important, and attending them is very important. But when such a meeting is being held in the presence of Allah’s messenger, then its importance increases manifold. And absence from such a meeting without a plausible excuse or to leave it without the permission of the messenger of Allah is a very serious matter.

108.The Prophet Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, has been given the authority to permit to leave his presence those persons whom he will. He has also been asked to pray for forgiveness from Allah for these people, if their excuse was not plausible and they had asked for his permission, then Allah may grant them forgiveness.

109. That is: When Allah’s messenger may call you for some work, then it becomes incumbent on you to leave all other work and respond to his call. You cannot treat his calling you on the same level on which you treat the calling of other persons among you. The messenger’s call, his invitation and his message has a distinct status, for the position enjoyed by the Prophet is not available to any other person among you.

It is therefore, clear that directions given in these two ayat are specific with the messenger of Allah, and it will be wrong to apply them to other chiefs and nobles of the country. The limits of obeying their directions are well defined, and the matter of obedience of the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) and the relevant etiquette is quite a different thing.

110. Hints at the hypocrites who used to slip away concealing themselves behind others, because of their disinterest, so that their going away may not be noticed.

111. This is severe warning to those who instead of obeying the commands of the messenger try to avoid it. The consequence of their act will be very dangerous for them : either they may fall prey to some grievous mischief or some painful punishment may seize them.

Today Muslims are surrounded by various kinds of mischiefs and corrupt practices, and new mischiefs go on cropping up. Such a situation is the consequence of ignoring this very guidance that is avoiding to obey the directions of the Prophet and disobeying them. Would that they take a stock of their position in the light of these ayat!